: The Uttar Pradesh Vigilance Establishment claimed to have unearthed assets worth nearly ₹20 crore, including ₹1.62 crore in cash, around 13 kg of gold and 9 kg of silver, during searches at former assistant regional transport officer (ARTO) Lalit Kumar’s Lucknow residence in connection with a disproportionate assets case, confirmed Vigilance officials in a press note on Wednesday.
Officials said the searches were carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday at Lalit Kumar’s residence in Chandralok Colony in Aliganj in Lucknow, after investigators obtained a search warrant from a competent court. The former ARTO, who was posted in Agra, is facing an investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act following allegations that he amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
According to the Vigilance Establishment, ₹1.62 crore in cash was recovered from different locations inside the house, where it had allegedly been concealed in packets. Officials also recovered gold biscuits, gold bars and jewellery weighing about 13 kg, besides around 9 kg of silver in the form of bars, biscuits and ornaments. The combined value of the seized precious metals is estimated at around ₹20 crore.
The searches also led to the recovery of documents relating to a large portfolio of movable and immovable assets allegedly owned by the accused. These include residential houses and plots in Lucknow, agricultural land in Lucknow, Barabanki and Raebareli districts, and bookings in flats located in Lucknow and Noida.
{{/usCountry}}The searches also led to the recovery of documents relating to a large portfolio of movable and immovable assets allegedly owned by the accused. These include residential houses and plots in Lucknow, agricultural land in Lucknow, Barabanki and Raebareli districts, and bookings in flats located in Lucknow and Noida.
{{/usCountry}}Among the properties identified by investigators are a residential house and plot in Aliganj, residential plots in Balaganj and Ismailganj, agricultural land in Mohanlalganj, Barabanki and Raebareli, as well as booked apartments in Ansal API, Maheshwari Infratech and Amrapali Spring Meadows projects in Noida (Gautambuddhanagar).
In addition, investigators recovered documents relating to investments of more than ₹1 crore in bank accounts, post office deposits, mutual funds and fixed deposits. Two cars—a Toyota Innova and a Hyundai i20—along with a licensed revolver were also found during the searches. Officials further prepared an inventory of expensive household furnishings and luxury items, which they said reflected substantial expenditure.
The Vigilance Establishment said all recovered assets would now be verified and evaluated as part of the ongoing disproportionate assets investigation to determine whether they were acquired from lawful sources of income. Further legal action will be taken based on the investigation’s findings.
Kumar retired in May 2025. Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Organisation was conducting an open enquiry against him and registered an FIR on June 11, 2024 when he was a Regional Inspector (Technical) but he was promoted to a gazetted rank at the ARTO post during the course of enquiry after which the probe was transferred to Vigilance nearly three months ago.
Uttar Pradesh director general of police and director, Vigilance, Rajeev Krishna announced a reward of ₹1 lakh for the Lucknow Sector Vigilance team for the successful search operation.